3.3.2. Phonological effects of cliticization and compounding
Cliticization and compound formation are the two processes which can have an influence on the prosodic word in DGS. In cliticization, at least two signs are combined to form a syntactic unit. This process might involve a coalescence [Phonology 3.1.2.] where two phonetic forms are fused into a single one. In the DGS examples below the participles pam and not are cliticized to the stems proud (a), taste (b) and exist (c) respectively.
a. proud^pam
‘proud of’
(based on Steinbach & Pfau, 2007: 323)
b. taste – not – taste^not
‘taste’ – ‘not’ – ‘does not taste (good)’
(based on Schwager, 2012: 76)
c. exist – not – not^exist
‘exist’– ‘not’ – ‘no one’
(based on Schwager, 2012: 76)
In compounding two stems are combined into one lexical unit [Morphology 1.]. This process may include various phonological processes such as syllable reduction or assimilation as can be seen in the DGS examples (a-c) below. In examples (a-c), the movement of the signs sign, colleague and new are reduced when these forms appear in compounds.
a. sign – language – sign^language
‘sign’- ‘language’ – ‘sign language’
(based on Becker, 2001: 155)
b. work – colleague –work^colleague
‘work’ – ‘colleague’ – ‘workmate’
(based on Becker, 2001: 156)
c. new–year – new^year
‘new’ – ‘year’ – ‘new year’
(based on Pfau & Glück, 1997: 35)
This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant Agreement No 693349.